The effectiveness of gastric tonometry in the diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia in cases where a contrast-enhanced computed tomography cannot be obtained

• Published in: Turkish journal of surgery Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 26 - 29
• Main Authors: Öz, Bahadır, Akyüz, Muhammet, Emek, Ertan, Sözüer, Erdoğan, Akyıldız, Hızır, Akcan, Alper, Ok, Engin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Turkey Turkish Surgical Association 2015; Turkish Journal of Surgery
• Subjects: Abdomen; Embolisms; Gangrene; Ischemia; Medical imaging; Methods; Mortality; Original Investigation; Ulcers; Acute mesenteric ischemia; gastric tonometry; contrast-enhanced tomography
• ISSN: 1300-0705; 2564-6850; 1308-8521; 2564-7032
• DOI: 10.5152/UCD.2014.2725

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of gastric tonometry in the diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia in cases where a contrast-enhanced computed tomography cannot be obtained. The gastric pH (pHi) and gastric CO2 (gpCO2) were measured with gastric tonometry catheter, preoperatively and postoperatively at 24 hours, in patients with suspicion of acute mesenteric ischemia. Simultaneous evaluation of blood gases and blood lactate levels were performed. Patients were divided into two groups after surgery. Group 1 included patients with mesenteric ischemia, and Group 2 consisted of patients without mesenteric ischemia. Forty-two patients (26 males, 16 females) were evaluated. The mean age was 61.4±13.3 years. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic factors and co-morbid diseases. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of pHi and gpCO2 levels (7.24±0.2 and -3±12.0 in Group 1, 7.18±0.06 and -3±1.9 in Group 2, respectively), intra-abdominal pressure, lactate levels, and survival. Among all the study parameters, only arterial pH had statistical significance in the diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia (7.23±0.21 versus 7.35±0.07 for Groups 1 and 2, respectively,) (p<0.05). Gastric tonometry is not a useful method in the early diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia.